Fungal biology最新文献

{"title":"A Scytalidium-like indoor fungus revealing polyphyletic relationships and convergent evolution in Scytalidium","authors":"De-Wei Li ,&nbsp;Ethan Paine ,&nbsp;Neil P. Schultes","doi":"10.1016/j.funbio.2025.101691","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.funbio.2025.101691","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>A <em>Scytalidium</em>-like fungus was isolated from a dust sample collected indoors in the USA. Partial DNA sequences for the genomic regions of the 5.8S nuclear ribosomal DNA and flanking internal transcribed spacer (ITS), the nuclear ribosomal large subunit (LSU), the translation elongation factor 1-α (<em>tef1</em>), the β-tubulin (<em>tub2</em>) and the DNA-directed RNA polymerase II second largest subunit (<em>rpb2</em>) genes were determined. Phylogenetic analyses indicated that the indoor <em>Scytalidium</em>-like fungus is closely related to <em>Scytalidium flavobrunneum,</em> yet neither fungus is phylogenetically related to the generic type species, <em>Scytalidium lignicola</em>. Further analyses revealed that members of <em>Scytalidium</em> are polyphyletic belonging to eight orders: <em>Amphisphaeriales</em>, <em>Coryneliales</em>, <em>Helotiales</em>, <em>Hypocreales</em>, <em>Mycosphaerellales</em>, <em>Pleosporales</em>, <em>Sordariales</em>, <em>Xylariales</em>; seven subclasses: <em>Coryneliomycetidae</em>, <em>Dothideomycetidae</em>, <em>Hypocreomycetidae</em>, <em>Leotiomycetidae</em>, <em>Pleosporomycetidae</em>, <em>Sordariomycetidae</em>, <em>Xylariomycetidae</em> and four classes: <em>Eurotiomycetes</em>, <em>Dothideomycetes</em>, <em>Leotiomycetes</em>, and <em>Sordariomycetes</em>. <em>Scytalidium</em> s.s. belongs to <em>Helotiales</em>. The indoor fungus has dimorphic anamorphs and belongs to <em>Monochaetia</em>, <em>Amphisphaeriales</em> using sequences of five loci (ITS, LSU, <em>tub2</em>, <em>tef1</em> and <em>rpb2</em>). Species of <em>Scytalidium</em> belonging to other orders are combined in their respective genera based on phylogenetic analyses using ITS and LSU. In our opinion, the polyphyletic nature of <em>Scytalidium</em>-like fungi shared morphological characteristics is the result of convergent evolution. At the same time, three new species, <em>Scytalidium ruthenicum</em> D.W. Li &amp; N.P. Schultes, <em>Monochaetia domiciliana</em> D.W. Li &amp; N.P. Schultes and <em>Monochaetia arboricola</em> D.W. Li &amp; N.P. Schultes, were described and illustrated.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12683,"journal":{"name":"Fungal biology","volume":"130 1","pages":"Article 101691"},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2026-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145584254","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Reduction of frosty pod rot severity in Theobroma cacao CCN51 by indigenous Trichoderma-based bioformulations under controlled conditions","authors":"Anthony Apolinario Cortez-Lázaro ,&nbsp;Ramiro Esteban Rodriguez ,&nbsp;Ingrid Milagros Iliquin-Inga ,&nbsp;Jorge Ronny Diaz-Valderrama ,&nbsp;Santos Triunfo Leiva-Espinoza ,&nbsp;Edwin Hualpa-Cutipa ,&nbsp;Segundo Manuel Oliva-Cruz ,&nbsp;Liz Marjory Cumpa-Velasquez","doi":"10.1016/j.funbio.2025.101702","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.funbio.2025.101702","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Cacao is of significant socio-cultural and economic importance for Peru. However, it is highly susceptible to phytopathogens, such as <em>Moniliophthora roreri</em>, the causal agent of frosty pod rot. This disease is well known for its significant impact on the quality and yield of cacao beans. In response to the necessity of environmentally friendly alternatives for cacao management, the use of bioformulations based on native microorganisms naturally adapted to Peruvian cacao agroecosystems is proposed. In this study, native <em>Trichoderma afroharzianum</em> CP24-6, <em>Trichoderma</em> BIF7-C3, <em>Trichoderma</em> UCF18-M1, and <em>Trichoderma</em> UCPF4-C3, isolated from cacao rhizosphere in the Amazonas region, were selected to evaluate their potential to protect cacao crop from <em>M. roreri</em> infection. These strains were tested under <em>in vitro</em> conditions, achieving up to 100 % inhibition of the phytopathogen growth. The strains were then used as active ingredients in bioformulations prepared with two substrates, rice and rice husk. The results suggested an influence on spore production, CFU/g, purity and germination quality parameters. Moreover, under field controlled conditions, the bioformulations exhibited variable effects on disease severity. Notably, the application of strains CP24-6 and BIF7-C3, using rice as the fermentative substrate, significantly reduced both external and internal severity by over 40 %, respectively. These findings highlight the critical roles of both substrate and strain selection in bioformulation efficacy and suggest the potential of these natives strain-based bioformulation for managing cacao moniliasis.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12683,"journal":{"name":"Fungal biology","volume":"130 1","pages":"Article 101702"},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2026-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145691846","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Melanization in the cyanolichen Lobaria retigera: from thallus microstructure and physicochemical properties of melanin to abiotic stress tolerance","authors":"A.G. Daminova ,&nbsp;E.I. Galeeva ,&nbsp;A.E. Rassabina ,&nbsp;R.T. Galeev ,&nbsp;R.P. Beckett ,&nbsp;F.V. Minibayeva","doi":"10.1016/j.funbio.2025.101707","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.funbio.2025.101707","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Lichens are classified as extremophilic organisms due to their high resistance to abiotic stresses, including UV radiation and heavy metals. Among the protective mechanisms of lichens to adverse environments, secondary metabolites, including melanins, play a special role. The foliose cyanolichen <em>Lobaria retigera</em> responds to high solar radiation by synthesizing dark brown melanic pigments in the upper cortex. However, the morphological and physiological traits of melanized thalli of <em>L. retigera</em> are unknown. In this study, we examined the microstructure of pale and naturally melanized thalli of the lichen <em>L. retigera</em>. We also studied the protective effects of melanin on the tolerance of <em>L. retigera</em> to high light and heavy metal stress. Here, for the first time we used immunolabeling to confirm that the melanic pigment in the hyphal lumens of the upper cortex of <em>L. retigera</em> is eumelanin. Melanized thalli displayed thickening of the cell walls, and we detected deposits of metabolites in the hyphal lumens, including spherical melanin-like granules. Atomic force microscopy was applied to study the nanomechanical characteristics of cross sections of the upper cortex. Results showed that in melanized thalli the adhesion values were reduced to almost half compared to those of the pale thalli. Furthermore, measurements of PSII activity and ion leakage showed that melanized thalli of <em>L. retigera</em> displayed significantly greater tolerance to photoinhibition and toxicity of the heavy metal Cu. It seems likely that the physicochemical properties of melanin from <em>L. retigera</em> are responsible for its protective effects. Consistent with this, extracted melanin absorbed strongly in the UV region and displayed high paramagnetic properties. Taken together, results from this study indicate that anatomical changes in the upper cortex caused by melanization and also the physicochemical properties of the melanin facilitate the higher tolerance of <em>L. retigera</em> to excess light and heavy metals.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12683,"journal":{"name":"Fungal biology","volume":"130 1","pages":"Article 101707"},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2026-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145748790","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Phylogeny and ecological roles shaping yeast-hyphae morphogenesis in Ophiostomataceae","authors":"Khaled Abdrabo El-Sayid Abdrabo ,&nbsp;Guan Jie Phang ,&nbsp;Yu-Hsuan Fan ,&nbsp;Yin-Tse Huang","doi":"10.1016/j.funbio.2025.101665","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.funbio.2025.101665","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The <em>Ophiostomataceae</em> family encompasses numerous species that exhibit yeast-hyphae dimorphism, including well-known pathogens like the causal agents of Dutch elm disease, blue-staining fungi, and sporotrichosis. This dimorphism is not only observed in pathogenic interactions but also plays a crucial role in symbiotic relationships, such as ambrosia fungi. The ability to switch between these morphological forms may contribute to their adaptability and ecological functions within different environments and host interactions. This study seeks to elucidate the intricate interplay between dimorphism and fungal lifestyles across the species within the <em>Ophiostomataceae</em> family. We investigated six <em>Ophiostomataceae</em> genera: <em>Raffaelea</em>, <em>Harringtonia</em>, <em>Leptographium</em>, <em>Ophiostoma</em>, <em>Heinzbutinia</em>, and <em>Esteya</em>, representing four contrasting fungal lifestyles: ambrosia, non-ambrosia, pathogenic, and non-pathogenic. Under standardized growth conditions using a chemically defined medium with DL-proline as the sole nitrogen source, all strains, except one, exhibited increased yeast morphotype growth (≥50%). Our tested species exhibited varied responses to inoculum size, highlighting inter-species variation in response to inoculum size effects. Moreover, we traced the evolutionary history of dimorphism across the <em>Ophiostomataceae</em> family. Our results suggest that dimorphism was likely a trait of the common ancestor of <em>Ophiostomataceae.</em> Our analyses revealed that the dimorphic trait shows a strong phylogenetic signal, i.e., its presence or loss is conserved within specific phylogenetic lineages. Moreover, we found that dimorphism and ambrosia lifestyle are evolutionarily correlated across the <em>Ophiostomataceae</em> phylogeny. This study deepens our understanding of how the interplay between dimorphism and lifestyle has shaped the evolutionary trajectory of the <em>Ophiostomataceae</em></div></div>","PeriodicalId":12683,"journal":{"name":"Fungal biology","volume":"130 1","pages":"Article 101665"},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2026-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145972884","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Corrigendum to “Haplotype studies and population structure analysis of the South Indian population of Phytophthora species infecting black pepper” [Fungal Biol. 130 (2026) 101693]","authors":"Fathimath Zumaila ,&nbsp;Arjunan Jeevalatha ,&nbsp;Chakkiyanickal Narayanan Biju","doi":"10.1016/j.funbio.2025.101705","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.funbio.2025.101705","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":12683,"journal":{"name":"Fungal biology","volume":"130 1","pages":"Article 101705"},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2026-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145622681","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Impact of complex inhibitors in straw hydrolysates on xylose-fermenting Saccharomyces cerevisiae and inhibitor-tolerant strain construction","authors":"Xue-Xue Ji ,&nbsp;Bo Li ,&nbsp;Rong-Rong Chen ,&nbsp;Zi-Yuan Xia ,&nbsp;Cai-Yun Xie ,&nbsp;Yue-Qin Tang","doi":"10.1016/j.funbio.2025.101709","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.funbio.2025.101709","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Enhancing the ability of <em>Saccharomyces cerevisiae</em> strains to ferment mixed sugars under complex inhibitors is crucial for boosting the economic feasibility of cellulosic ethanol production. Using comparative transcriptomics, this study explored the impact of combined inhibitors (acetic acid, formic acid, furfural, and vanillin) on the xylose-fermenting <em>S</em>. <em>cerevisiae</em> strain s6 during mixed-sugar fermentation. The results revealed significant disruptions in carbon metabolism, amino acid metabolism, nucleic acid metabolism, energy metabolism, and signal transduction pathways, suggesting that cells may redirect energy from biosynthetic processes to combat inhibitor stress. Based on these findings, eight genes, including five transcription factors and three functional genes, were selected for combinatorial overexpression. Fermentation assessments in both inhibitors-added artificial media and real straw hydrolysates confirmed improved inhibitor tolerance, particularly in strains with optimized gene combinations. Strains s6H3F7T6 (overexpressing <em>HAA1</em>, <em>FDH1</em>, and <em>TYE7</em>) and s6H3F7 (overexpressing <em>HAA1</em> and <em>FDH1</em>) exhibited significantly enhanced xylose consumption rates, increasing by 137.48 % and 133.43 %, respectively, along with improved ethanol production of 19.54 % and 10.37 % in artificial media containing a mixture of four inhibitors. Notably, s6H3F7 and s6H3F7T6 also demonstrated substantial improvements in two types of straw hydrolysates containing a multitude of inhibitors. This study validates the effectiveness of simultaneous multi-gene regulation, providing robust resistant strains with substantial promise for industrial applications.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12683,"journal":{"name":"Fungal biology","volume":"130 1","pages":"Article 101709"},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2026-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145797559","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Towards sustainable control of chestnut brown rot: An in vitro evaluation of conventional and biobased solutions","authors":"Ioannis Konstantinos Platis ,&nbsp;Loukia M. Kellari ,&nbsp;Dimitris Natsiopoulos ,&nbsp;Antonia Argyri ,&nbsp;Panagiotis Eliopoulos ,&nbsp;Kalliope K. Papadopoulou ,&nbsp;Eleni Topalidou","doi":"10.1016/j.funbio.2025.101712","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.funbio.2025.101712","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Chestnut brown rot, caused by <em>Gnomoniopsis smithogilvyi (syn. Gnomoniopsis castanea) (Gnomoniaceae, Diaporthales, Ascomycota)</em>, is a major threat to global chestnut production due to its latent infections and post-harvest symptom expression. This study investigated the role of temperature in pathogen biology and post-harvest disease development during storage. Mycelial growth and sporulation were optimal at 25 °C but, although reduced at extreme temperatures, they were not completely inhibited. Post-infection assays demonstrated that pathogen activation during storage is strongly influenced by the interaction between temperature and incubation period, underscoring the potential for disease progression under suboptimal storage conditions, even in asymptomatic chestnuts. The <em>in vitro</em> efficacy of synthetic fungicides, natural compounds, and biological control agents (BCAs) against <em>G. smithogilvyi</em> was also evaluated. Among the nine compounds tested, BIOCLEAN (whey, chitosan hydrochloride, and <em>Equisetum arvense</em> extract) and the Difenoconazole (SCORE) completely inhibited mycelial growth and sporulation. Boscalid + Pyraclostrobin (Signum) and Fosetyl-Al (Aliette) showed strong inhibition (&gt;95 %), while moderate inhibition (78–85 %) was observed with Fluxapyroxad (Sercadis) and Fluopyram + Tebuconazole (Luna Experience). Potassium phosphonate and ionic copper formulations (Ocion ICC, Phozel) displayed limited efficacy. Among BCAs, <em>Trichoderma simonsii</em> exhibited the highest antagonism (72 % inhibition), followed by <em>Bacillus amyloliquefaciens</em>. Overall, the findings provide compelling evidence that rigorous temperature management during post-harvest storage, in combination with the application of targeted preharvest treatments in the field, can markedly reduce the incidence of brown rot. These results lay a solid foundation for the development of region-specific, integrated management strategies aimed at minimizing <em>G. smithogilvyi</em>-associated losses in commercial chestnut production.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12683,"journal":{"name":"Fungal biology","volume":"130 1","pages":"Article 101712"},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2026-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145797558","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Comparative genomics of the peach rot fungus Didymosphaeria rubi-ulmifolii reveal carbohydrate-active enzyme expansion and unique wood-decay strategies","authors":"Shunyuan Wu ,&nbsp;Gen Li ,&nbsp;Dongle Zhang ,&nbsp;Junru Xu ,&nbsp;Wenli Yue ,&nbsp;Kuan Liang ,&nbsp;Yuanyuan Dong ,&nbsp;Yue Huang ,&nbsp;Yulong Wang ,&nbsp;Pu Liu","doi":"10.1016/j.funbio.2025.101711","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.funbio.2025.101711","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div><em>Didymosphaeriaceae</em> is recognized for inducing canker and wood decay in fruit trees, but those genetic mechanisms underlying these processes remain largely unexplored. Here, our study investigates wood decay mechanisms in <em>Didymosphaeria rubi-ulmifolii</em> GF1, a strain associated with internal vascular discoloration and stem cankers in peach trees, by the combination of genome, transcriptome sequencing and gene silencing. The fungal genome assembly measured 40.4 Mb with 15,112 protein-coding genes, including 791 carbohydrate-active enzymes (CAZymes), revealing an expanded repertoire crucial for fungal metabolism. Transcriptome analysis of plant cell wall degrading enzymes uncovered the fungal functional adaptations to wood decay and pathogenicity. Furthermore, targeted gene silencing experiments using external dsRNA uptake effectively suppressed the expression of three lignin peroxidase genes and one manganese peroxidase gene, correlating with diminished fungal growth characteristics on peach tree wood, confirmed that those enzymes are involved in the lignin degradation for wood decaying. This comprehensive investigation provides novel insights into the wood decay mechanisms employed by plant pathogens, laying the groundwork for future studies aimed at effective management of plant diseases.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12683,"journal":{"name":"Fungal biology","volume":"130 1","pages":"Article 101711"},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2026-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145797556","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Proteomic insights into Pholiota nameko mycelial response to wood-based substrates","authors":"Swathi Kothattil ,&nbsp;John A. Pecchia ,&nbsp;Eoin O'Connor","doi":"10.1016/j.funbio.2025.101714","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.funbio.2025.101714","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div><em>Pholiota microspora</em> (Berk.) Sacc., commonly known as “nameko,” is an edible mushroom widely cultivated in East Asia for both culinary and medicinal purposes. This study aimed to investigate how substrate composition influences the expression of lignocellulolytic enzymes in <em>Pholiota nameko</em> using label-free quantitative proteomics. The fungus was cultivated on four substrates: (1) a standard commercial mix (S) of oak sawdust, millet, rye, and wheat bran (24:8:3:3 w/w); (2) a minimally supplemented willow-based substrate (S1) with the same ratio; (3) a mixture of willow chips and cottonseed hulls (W + C) in a 3:1 ratio; and (4) willow chips alone (W). All substrates were incubated at a suboptimal temperature of 15 °C to simulate low-energy cultivation conditions and assess enzymatic responses under thermal constraint. A total of 1783 proteins were identified, with 165 showing statistically significant differential expression across substrates. Functional annotation revealed diverse enzyme groups, including oxidoreductases (e.g., manganese peroxidases, peroxygenases, tyrosinases) and hydrolases (e.g., endoglucanases, exoglucanases), which exhibited substrate-dependent regulation. Notably, oxidative enzymes were predominantly upregulated in the standard substrate, S while cellulolytic enzymes showed enhanced expression in substrates W and W + C. Several uncharacterized proteins were also identified, highlighting the need for future functional studies. These results underscore <em>P. nameko</em>'s adaptive enzymatic responses to lignocellulosic substrates under suboptimal, low-temperature conditions. This work advances understanding of its lignocellulolytic enzyme system, with implications for energy-efficient mushroom cultivation and industrial enzyme production.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12683,"journal":{"name":"Fungal biology","volume":"130 1","pages":"Article 101714"},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2026-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145836802","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The secreted in xylem protein Foc4-SIX13 of Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense race 4 targets the banana Nudix hydrolase and contributes to its virulence","authors":"Wenjing Chen ,&nbsp;Jiamin Zheng ,&nbsp;Jiahui Wu ,&nbsp;Rujing Zeng ,&nbsp;Zheng Li ,&nbsp;Yinghua Huang ,&nbsp;Tom Hsiang ,&nbsp;Handa Song ,&nbsp;Mei Luo ,&nbsp;Zhangyong Dong","doi":"10.1016/j.funbio.2025.101694","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.funbio.2025.101694","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Fusarium wilt, commonly referred to as Panama disease, stands as the most catastrophic disease in banana cultivation. Caused by <em>Fusarium oxysporum</em> f. sp. cubense (Foc), it has imposed substantial economic burdens on banana farmers worldwide. Foc4-SIX13 was identified as a potential effector in Foc4, and is characterized by secretion into xylem. It is a protein comprised of 312 amino acids, and features a functional signal peptide without recognizable motifs or domains. Quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) analysis revealed that the expression of Foc4-SIX13 was markedly upregulated during the initial stage of fungal infection in banana plants. Through homologous recombination, the successful knockout of Foc4-SIX13 was accomplished. The resulting deletion mutant exhibited impaired mycelial growth and increased sensitivity to osmotic stress, coupled with a significant decrease in pathogenicity towards bananas. Foc4-SIX13Δsp could not induce cellular necrosis in <em>Nicotiana benthamiana</em>. Subcellular localization experiments demonstrated that Foc4-SIX13Δsp was localized in both cytoplasm and nuclei of <em>N. benthamiana</em> cells. The interaction between Foc4-SIX13 and banana Nudix hydrolase 23 (Ma-NUD23) was confirmed by yeast two-hybrid (Y2H) and bimolecular fluorescence complementation (BiFC) assays. Taken together, these findings highlight the pivotal role of Foc4-SIX13 in the pathogenicity of Foc4 and its importance in the Fusarium infection process. Consequently, Foc4-SIX13 is proposed as a promising target for future management strategies against Fusarium wilt, and it can provide a novel avenue for the breeding of banana varieties with enhanced disease resistance.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12683,"journal":{"name":"Fungal biology","volume":"130 1","pages":"Article 101694"},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2026-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145584255","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}